ALT A pink elephant in a top hat is saying: let’s talk about the pink elephant in the room they/them pronouns. They/them pronouns might not be what you’re used to. Please allow me to offer you three possible frames on this topic. Pick the one that’s most resident and use it to help you make they/them pronouns real invalid in your mind.

ALT There are four portraits in the middle of the page. At the top it says: they/them as a pronoun for one person one person of non-specific, unknown, or a non-binary, gender, has been around for such a long time. Chaucer used it, and so did Shakespeare and Jane Austen. Below are dated portraits of each of those authors, with quotes from their famous works in which they use they/them as the pronouns for an unknown person.

ALT There is a baby carriage, full of words in the middle of the page. The words are barista, voicemail, granola, trifecta, hazmat, triathlon, endorphin, fractal, fax, binge, watch, podcast, blog, crowdfunding, and staycation. Above and below it reads: we use new words all the time. All of these are words that are younger than I am, and I am, as we can agree, spring fresh. You weren’t taught about Podcasts in grade 7 English, but they are still real, and so is the word podcast, and so are they/them as singular pronouns.

ALT In the middle of the page is a sampler style embroidery that reads human feelings are more important than the grammar rules. I learned when I was 12 years old. There’s a little flower at the bottom. Underneath that the text says: if I can help my friends or loved ones or colleagues, or total strangers, or even nemeses feel supported and comfortable with me, that’s what I want. That’s what they deserve. That’s what everyone deserves (even people we don’t like).